Carton



A. J. WEISS Aug. 30, 1966 CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1964 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1966 A. J. WEISS 3,269,531

CARTON Filed April 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ARTHUR I. UJEl as ATTORNEYS United States Patent York Filed Apr. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 360,597 14 Claims. (Cl. 206--65) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in carton structures, and more specifically to a novel carton of the wrap-around type.

Many products which are distributed in individual containers, either bottles or cans, are being packaged in multiples in the form of readily handleable packages. The packages are formed by placing the containers in one or more rows and wrapping .a carton thereabout with the terminal ends of the carton being automatically secured together in a manner wherein the carton tightly engages the containers and forms therewith a rigid readily handle- .able package. Machinery has been developed for automatically positioning the carton blanks relative to the containers and wrapping the carton blanks around the containers in the necessary manner to present terminal portions of the carton blanks in positions where they can be properly secured together while the carton snugly engages the containers being packaged. However, in order to assure a tight package, the machinery for wrapping the carton around the containers must be accurately constructed to function with respect to containers of a predetermined size. When the containers are oversized, the usual wrap-around carton will be distorted and will not wrap properly around the containers with the result that the proper connection cannot be formed between the terminal portions of the carton.

In view of the foregoing, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a carton of the wrap-around type with expansion formations of a construction wherein when the containers being packaged are of the predetermined size for which the cart-0n is originally intended, the carton may be snugly wrapped around the containers without any weakening thereof due to the expansion formations and the expansion formations play no part in the final package, while at the same time, if one or more of the containers being packaged should be oversized, then the expansion formations will allow the necessary expansion of the carton to accommodate the oversize container or containers.

In a normal package formed of a plurality of containers in a wrap-around carton, the containers have upper shoulders which are engaged by upper corners of the cart-on. In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to provide the upper corners of the carton with expansion formations whereby when the containers being packaged are of the size for which the carton is intended, there will be no pressure exerted onthe corners of the carton sufiicient to rupture the expansion formations, but when one or more of the containers are oversized, in order that the carton may be properly drawn about the containers to form the necessary lock between terminal portions of the carton, suflicient pressure will be exerted by the carton on the shoulders of the containers to effect a slight rupturing of the carton in the expansion formation which engages the oversized container so as to allow a portion of the oversized container to project through the carton and compensate for the increase in size of the container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel expansion formation in a carton of the wrap-around type, the expansion formation being adapted to engage a shoulder of a container and when the container is oversized to permit the rupturing of the carton and the projection of the container through the carton so that the oversized ice container will in no way interfere with the complete and proper wrapping around of the carton with respect to the containers and the formation of the necessary lock between terminal portions of the carton.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an extremely simple, yet efficient, expansion formation for use in cartons to compensate for variation in container size above a predetermined container size, the expansion formation being generally H-shaped and being disposed along a fold line of the carton at a corner of the carton which engages container shoulders, the H-shaped formation including two generally upstanding cuts and a cross bar which is in the form of a plurality of spaced nicks or notches along the fold line to effect a weakening of the carton along the fold line.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a package utilizing the carton which is the subject of this invention wherein the containers within the carton are of the predetermined size for which the carton was intended.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of the carton of FIGURE 1 and shows the general details there of.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the carton of FIGURE 1 and shows further the details thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1 and shows the specific cross section of a wrap-around carton, the specific phantom showing of the bottles illustrating the relationship of the bottles with respect to the carton.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmenary top perspective view of one corner of a package wherein one of the bottles is oversized and the carton is sprung open along the expansion formation thereof to compensate for the oversize of the bottle.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG- URE 2 and shows the manner in which the expansion formation compensates for a slight increase in size of the bottle.

FIGURE 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 and shows the manner in which the increased pressure on the carton at the corners thereof engaging the shoulders of the bottles results in the opening of the carton along the expansion formations thereof to compensate for the oversize of the bottles.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a blank for forming a carton incorporating the expansion formations of this invention.

In the formation of packages of the readily handleable type from a plurality of containers and a carton of the wrap-around type, the containers are placed in one or more rows after which the central portion of the carton is engaged with the then upper ends of the containers. The carton is then tightly wrapped down and around under the containers followed by the formation of a joint between the terminal ends of the carton. It will be readily apparent that since the package must be one which may be readily handled, the carton must snugly engage the containers and form interlocks with the containers to prevent the accidental removal of the containers during handling. In view of this, each carton is of a predetermined size for receiving containers of a predetermined size. However, due to irregularities in manufacture containers are not always of the prescribed size and are frequently oversized. When the containers are oversized,

then there is a further distance about which the carton must wrap with the result that the connection between the terminal portions of the carton either is not formed properly or cannot be formed. This is particularly true in a carton construction wherein the connection between the terminal portions is formed by a plurality of locking tabs. In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to provide cartons of this general class with expansion formations whereby when the cartons are wrapped around containers of which one or more are slightly oversized, the carton can open up and the oversized container may project therethrough so that the necessary lock between the terminal portions of the carton may be obtained irrespective of the nature of the lock.

Although this invention is not limited to any specific type of carton interlock construction, there is illustrated in the drawings of this application a carton construction of the locking tab type which can utilize to the best advantage the expansion formation of this invention. This carton has one wall thereof which opposes ends of containers and is formed of two panels, such as the panels and 11 illustrated in the blank shown in FIGURE 8, the blank being generally referred to by the numeral 12. In the forming of a package from the carton blank 12, terminal edge portions of the panels 10 and 11 are disposed in overlapping relation and are locked together. In order to facilitate the locking together of the overlapping ed-ge portions of the panels 14) and 11, the panel 10 is provided adjacent a free edge 13 thereof with a plurality of latch openings 14, there being one latch opening 14 for each container in a row of containers for which the carton blank 12 is designed. The latch openings 14 are generally trapezoidal in outline and have narrow sides disposed remote from the edge 13 of the panel 10. If desired, the latch openings 14 may be provided with slits 15 extending from opposite ends of the narrow side thereof.

The terminal edge of the panel 11 is provided with a plurality of latching flaps 16 which are hingedly connected to the panel 11 along a fold line 17 and which are disposed in aligned relation with an associated one of the latch openings 14. Each fold line 17 is interrupted by a centrally located C-shaped cut 18 which defines a catch 19 that is pivotal with the latching flap 16.

Each latching flap 16 is a projecting tongue 20 having opposed slits 21 formed therein.

In the forming of the connection between the panels 10 and 11 after the carton formed from the carton blank 12 is wrapped around a plurality of containers, the panel 11 is folded beneath the panel 10 and the latching flaps 16 are. pivoted with respect to the panel 1 1 along the fold lines 17 to positions wherein the pivotal catches 19 are engaged within the latch openings 14. The latching flaps 16 are then pivoted towards the plane of the panel 10 and serve to draw the panels 10 and 11 together. At this time the tongues 20 are disposed in angular relation to the locking flaps 16 by being folded relative thereto along the fold lines 22 disposed along the connections between the tongues 20 and the locking flaps 16. The tongues 20 may now be inserted through the remote ends of the latch openings 14 with the tongues 20 passing down through the slits 15 and the slits 15 of the panel 10 cooperating with the slits 21 of the tongues 20 to lock the tongues 20 in place.

It will be readily apparent that when a carton, such as the car-ton formed from the blank 12 is wrapped around containers of a size larger than that for which the carton is intended the carton will not reach around the containers sufficient-ly for the pivotal catches 19 to be initially engaged within the latch openings 14. When this occurs, the necessary connection between the panels 10 and 11 cannot be made and thus the resultant package is not properly formed.

The illustrated carton blank 12 is intended for use in forming a package of six bottles. Although this invention is not limited to such a package, the further details of the carton blank 12 will be described here solely for the purpose of providing for a full understanding of the invention. The blank 12, in addition to the panels 10 and 11, includes a pair of identical side panels 23 and 24 which are disposed on opposite sides of a panel formation which defines the top wall of a carton. This panel formation includes a centrally located top wall panel 25 and two outer panels 26 and 27 which are connected to the panel 25 along fold lines 28 which extend transversely of the blank 12. Suitable openings 29 are formed in the blank 12, along the fold lines 28 for the reception of crown caps of bottles in a manner to be described hereinafter. The panel 26 is connected to the panel 23 along a transverse fold line 30 while the panel 27 is connected to the panel 24 along a transverse fold line 31.

The top wall panel formation also includes a pair of longitudinal fold lines 32 which extend generally between the fold lines 28 adjacent the edges of the blank 12. In addition, diagonal fold lines 33 extend from the intersections of the fold lines 28 and 30 to the edges of the blank 12. The fold lines 32 and 33 set off flaps 34 which may be folded downwardly at the opposite ends of the carton which is formed from the blank 12.

The panel 10 is connected to the panel 23 by a connecting panel 35 which is provided with a suitable opening arrangement 36 for the reception of lower corner portions of bottles. A similar panel arrangement 37 connects the panel 11 to the panel 24. The panel 37 also has bot-tle receiving opening formations 38 therein.

In order to facilitate the carrying of a package formed from the carton blank 12, the panel 25 is provided with suitable flaps 40 which may be pushed inwardly to define two finger receiving openings. The flaps 40 are positioned to be disposed centrally between four adjacent bottles disposed within the resultant package.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a package formed utilizing the carton blank 12, the package being generally referred to by the numeral 41. The package 41 includes six like bottles 42 arranged in two rows of three bottles each and a carton, generally referred to by the numeral 43 which is formed from the carton blank 12.

It is to be noted that each of the bottles 42 is provided with a crown cap closure 44. It is also to be noted that the width of the panel 25 is such that the inner edges of the openings 29 are disposed substantially along the center of each associated crown cap 44. The panel 25 is disposed in horizontal relation while the panels 26 and 27 slope downwardly so that the crown caps 44 project out through the openings 29 in the manner best shown in FIGURE 4. This provides the necessary interlock between the upper ends of the bottles 42 with the carton 43. It is to be noted that the lower portions of the bottles 42 project out through the opening formations 36 and 38 of the panels 35 and 37, respectively, to provide interlocks between the bottoms of the bottles 42 and the carton 43.

The car-ton 41, as is illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4 and described above, is one which may be formed with six bottles of a predetermined size utilizing the carton blank 12. It is to be noted that the panels 24 and 27 on one hand and the panels 23 and 26 on the other hand define corners at their intersections along the fold lines 31 and 30 respectively. These corners of the car-ton 43 snug-1y engage the shoulders 45 of the bottles 42 and form a tight package.

It will be readily apparent that when the bottles 42 are properly sized, the package 41 may be readily formed by automatic machinery. However, should one or more of the bottles 42 be slightly oversized, either as to diameter or as to height, then the machinery normally cannot pull sufliciently the carton 43 around the bottles to the extent necessary to form the interlock between the panels 10 and 11. In order to compensate for the possibility that one or more of the bottles being packaged is oversized and at the same time to assure that a tight package will be obtainable with conventional size bottles, the carton 43 is provided with a plurality of expansion formations each of which is generally referred .to by the numeral 46. Each expansion formation 46 is generally H-shaped in outline and is dis posed in alignment with the openings 29 so as to be aligned with the bottles 42. Furthermore, each expansion formation 46 is centered along a respective one of the fold lines 30 and and 31.

Each expansion formation 46 includes two generally upstanding side cuts 47 which are in opposed relation and are generally C-shaped in outline. The H-shape formation 46 also includes a cross bar 48 which is formed of a plurality of nicks or notches 49 which extend along the respective fold line and which are separated by bridge portions 50 which are rupturable.

When one or more of the bottles 42 are oversized and the carton 43 is applied in the normal manner, as the cart-on 43 is drawn down and around the bottles, the tension applied to the carton will be suflicient to effect a tight engagement of the corner portions of the carton with the shoulders 45 of the bottles so that when the carton 43 engages the oversized bottle 42, the expansion formation 46 will have an extraordinary stress placed thereupon and rupture of the bridge portions 49 will occur, as is shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7. The opening of the carton 43 in the expansion formation area permits the shoulder portion 45 of the oversized bottle to project slightly out through the upper portion of the carton 43 and thereby in effect permits stretching of the carton. The stretching of the carton at an expansion formation 46 which has been ruptured, as is shown in FIGURE 5, is sufficient to compensate for the oversize of the associated bottle 42 with the result that the panels and 11 may be locked together in the normal manner.

It will be readily apparent that since there is one expansion formation 46 for each bottle of the package 41, the construction of the carton 43 will compensate for the existence of one or more oversized bottles 42 and will be ruptured at its expansion formations 46 accordingly.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the details of the expansion formation within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wrap-around carton particularly adapted for normally snugly receiving a plurality of containers of a predetermined size and having securing means for locking said carton about the containers, normally unbroken and closed rupturable expansion means for rupturable opening only when a slightly oversize container is positioned within the carton, and enabling the carton to receive the oversize container without increasing the overall size of the carton.

2. In a wrap-around carton particularly adapted for snugly receiving a plurality of containers of a predetermined size and of the type having a panel lock for securing together free ends of the carton when the carton is snugly wrapped around containers, normally unbroken and closed rupturable expansion means for opening only when a slightly oversize container is positioned within the carton to permit securement of the panel lock.

3. In a wraparound carton particularly adapted for snugly receiving a plurality of containers of a predetermined size and having securing means for locking said carton about the containers, and of the type having an upper shoulder and wherein said carton has opposite portions configurated to be snugly engaged with shoulders of normal size containers normally unbroken and closed rupturable, expansion formations in said carton portions in alignment with intended positions of containers within said carton, each of said expansion formations being rupturable to open when a slightly oversized container is positioned within said carton in alignment therewith.

4. The carton of claim 3 wherein said securing means are in the form of a panel lock for securing together free ends of said carton when said carton is snugly wrapped around normal size containers, and said expansion formations permit the engagement of said panel lock even when oversized containers are placed within said carton.

5. A wrap-around carton for snugly receiving a plurality of containers of a predetermined size, said carton including a pair of side panels, and a pair of container end opposing panels, one of said container end opposing panels being connected to said side panels along longitudinal fold lines, and said carton having normally unbroken and closed rupturable expansion means along said longitudinal fold lines for automatically opening only upon the reception of an oversize container in said carton, the other of said container end opposing panels being formed of two terminal panel portions connected together by panel locking means.

6. The carton of claim 1 wherein said expansion means is disposed along a fold line and is generally H-shaped in outline, said expansion means including a pair of upright cuts and a cross bar, said cross bar extending along said fold line and being in the form of closely spaced notches separated by rupturable bridging portions.

7. The carton of claim 1 wherein said expansion means is disposed along a fold line and is generally H-shaped in outline, said expansion means including a pair of upright cuts and a cross bar, said cross bar extending along said fold line and being in the form of closely spaced notches separated by rupturable bridging portions, and said upright cuts being of an opposed generally C-shape.

8. The carton of claim 5 wherein each of said expansion means is centered on its respective fold line and is generally H-shaped in outline, each of said expansion means including a pair of upright cuts and a cross bar, said cross bar extending along said fold line and being in the form of closely spaced notches separated by rupturable bridging portions.

9. The carton of claim 5 wherein each of said expansion means is centered on its respective fold line and is generally H-shaped in outline, each of said expansion means including a pair of upright cuts and a cross bar, said cross bar extending along said fold line and being in the form of closely spaced notches separated by rupturable bridging portions, and said upright cuts being of an opposed generally C-shape.

10. In a carton blank including a pair of adjacent panels joining along a fold line, and an expansion formation disposed along said fold line and being generally H-shaped in outline, said expansion formation including a pair of upright cuts and a cross bar, said cross bar extending along said fold line and being in the form of closely spaced notches separated by rupturable bridging portions.

11. In a carton blank including a pair of adjacent panels joined along a fold line, and an expansion formation disposed along said fold line and being generally H-shaped in outline, said expansion formation including a pair of upright cuts and a cross bar, said cross bar extending along said fold line and being in the form of closely spaced notches separated by rupturable bridging portions, and said upright cuts being of an opposed generally Oshape.

12. A blank for a carton of the wrap-around type adapted to receive a plurality of containers of a predetermined size, said blank having terminal panels with locking means for forming the blank into a continuous envelope, said car-ton having adjacent panel portons joined along a fold line and adapted to form a corner for snugly engaging a container, an expansion formation disposed along said fold line and being generally H-shaped in outline, said expansion formation including a pair of upright cuts and a cross bar, said cross bar extending along said fold line and being in the form of closely spaced notches separated by rupturable bridging portions.

13. In a package comprising a plurality of containers of the type having an upper shoulder and an upstanding neck and a package forming carton Wrapped around said containers with panels of said carton joined along a fold line defining a corner snugly engaging said container shoulders, an expansion formation disposed along said fold line and being generally H-shaped in outline, said expansion formation including a pair of upright cuts and a cross bar, said cross bar extending along said fold line and being in the form of closely spaced notches separated by rupturable bridging portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,043,419 6/1936 Robinson 22987 2,171,615 9/1939 Wesselman 220-115 2,320,665 6/1943 Shearer 22916 2,675,158 5/1954 Ringler 229-28 3,021,657 2/ 1962 Purdy.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner. W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

13. IN A PACKAGE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS OF THE TYPE HAVING AN UPPER SHOULDER AND AN UPSTANDING NECK AND A PACKAGE FORMING CARTON WRAPPED AROUND SAID CONTAINES WITH PANELS OF SAID CARTON JOINED ALONG A FOLD LINE DEFINING A CORNER SNUGLY ENGAGING SAID CONTAINER SHOULDERS, AN EXPANSION FORMATION DISPOSED ALONG SAID FOIL LINE AND BEING GENERALLY H-SHAPED IN OUTLINE, SAID EXPANSION FORMATION INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPRIGHT CUTS AND A CROSS BAR, SAID CROSS BAR EXTENDING ALONG SAID FOLD LINE AND BEING IN THE FORM OF CLOSELY SPACED NOTCHES SEPARATED BY REPTURABLE BRIDGING PORTIONS. 